Gasolene-tower



M. GRIFFIN.

GASOLENE TOWER.

APPLICATION FILED 11116.24' I9IB.

Patented July 29, 1919.

INAH M. cItIriiIN, or KANSAS CITY, nIssoUaI.

GASOLENE-TOWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 12Min Application led August 24, 1918. Serial No.251,312.

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gasolene towers of that class for use atfilling stations, and the object of the invention is to produce a towerin which danger of explosion or the like is minimized by` storing thegasolene underground, and by which the gasolene can be raised to anobservation cylinder by air pressure and any excess quantity raised canbe returned to the underground storage point.

A further object is to produce agasolene tower provided with a registerfor showing the quantity of gasolene which has been dispensed, and asiphon adjustable to accurately control the quantity of gasolenedispensed and to prevent the register from recording a greater quantityof gasolene than has actually been dispensed.

A still further object is to provide a gaso- Vlene tower embodying anadjustable siphon of the type mentioned, by wl*1 Jh excess gasolenesupplied to the observation cylinder may be withdrawn therefrom to theunderground storage point.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel anduseful features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafterdescribed and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understoodreference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of a gasolene tower embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2, is an enlarged central vertical section of a part of the tower.

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line lII-III of Fig.2.

Fig. 4, is a face view of a part of the tower upright, to disclose therack bar for effecting adjustment of a siphon forming part of theinvention.

Fig. 5, is an enlarged horizontal. section of a plural-way valve,controlling the flow of gasolene to and from the observation cylinderforming a part of the tower.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 indicates a hollow tower standsurmounted preferably by a transparent observation cylinder 2 andarranged within said cylinder is a float 3 guided to move verticallyupon guide rods 4 extending from the'top to the bottom of the cylinder.The float is provided with a rack bar 5 extending up through the top ofthe cylinder and into a guide tube 6 mounted The rack bar meshes uponthe cylinder. with a cog pinion 7 forming a part of a register of commonand well known type 8 which shall operate when turned in one directiononly, viz., when the rack bar moves upwardly. A s registers of thischaracter are common and no claim is made to the same except as an oldelement in a new conv bination, detailed showing and a description ofthe register is omitted, it being understood that' as shown the rack barcontinuously engages the cog wheel, and hence when moving downward,turns said cogwheel inoperatively, that is without affecting thecounting mechanism of the register.

A siphon comprises a pipe consisting preferably of two stationarysections- 9 and 10, and a slidable inverted U-shaped section 11,

one leg of the section 11 fitting telescopicallyl in stationary section10 which is also utilized in conjunction with a nut 12 in clamping theheads of the cylinder in place. The short leg of the Siphon comprisesIthe other leg of said inverted U-shaped section 11, which leg' extendsslidingly through the upper head of the cylinder and has a laterallyprojecting foot 13 to limit upward traveling movement of the float, sothat the latter cannot cause the register to record a sale of gasolenegreater than that indicated by the adjustment of the slidable section ofthe siphon. To adjust the Siphon a rod 14 is attached to the movablesection of the siphon and extends slidingly through the heads of thecylinder and through a tube 15 extending from one of said heads to theother, the tube being employed to guard against leakage of gasolene fromthe cylinder around the rod 14. The lower end of the siphon adjustingrod 14 is provided with gallons or any other vprcuetermned measurements,that is to say when the handle occupies a position opposite shoulder 2of the vertical a e scale indicia a carino' in- Fig. 4, the lower end ofthe short leg of the siphon is disposed within the cylinder 2 at thelevel to which two gallons of gasolene will fill said cylinder. The rod14 will preferably be vresilient and tend to ride up the slot againstthe serrated or toothed wa l thereof so that it will automaticallyretain its position upon any of the shoulders 19. When the siphon is tobe lowered, lateral pressure is apphed on the rod so that the handle maybe slid downward to one side of the line of shoulders.

` 20 is a storage tank set underground or at any suitable point, andprovided with a filling tube 2l, which also serves as an air vent forsaid tank. It is also provided with a discharge tube 22 equipped withacheck valve 23, and leading into a small tank 24, the latter preferablybeing of less capacity than the observation cylinder. The lower end ofsection 9 of the siphon communicates with tank 24. 25 is a pipe leadingfrom an air pressure tank or the like to a two-way valve 26 arrangedwithin the tower stand and ac cessible through a door'controlled opening27 thereof. Two other pipes 28 and 29 comlparent that I have invented agasolene tower municate with the casing of valve 26'at suitable points,and with 'the tanks 24 and 20 respectively, and the valve is operable byhandle 30 so that pipes 25 and 29 may be connected together by thevalve.

The tank 24 will always stand charged with gasolene as longv as the mainor supply tank contains any gasolene, as the checkv valve 23 openstoward tank 24. Assuming that' a person calls for two gallons ofgasolene, the ,attendant will ad]ust,the siphon to the position shown inFig. 2, by proper manipulation of handle 16 with reference to thescalein proximity to the slot 17. As soon asthe' siphon is thusadjusted, the attendant will operate valve 26 to establish communicationbetween the air supply pipe 25 andthe pipe 28, so that air underpressure may enter tank 24 and force gasolene up through the siphon andinto the observation cylinder, closing the said valve preferably whenthe level of the gasolene in the cylinder reaches the bottom of theshort leg of the siphon, as this level will indicate that two gallons ofgasolene stand in the cylinder. lIt will, of course, be apparent that asthe gasolene accumulates in the cylinder, the float will rise untilarrested by contact ,with the laterally projecting foot of the J siphon,and in such upward movement will operate the register to record the factthat two'ga'llons of gasolene have been sold.

'ltodischarge -the predetermined quantity ofglgasolene, from thecylinder, the latter is f jpro'vided with a'valve controlled dischargepipevl, to which a Ileable hose, not shown,

28 or 28 and is adapted to be attached for delivery of the gasolene tothe tank of an automobile or to any other receptacle.

In the event that the attendant fails to check the supply of gasolene tothe observation cylinder when the quantity therein equals lthe amountdesired, and in consequence the gasolene accumulates in said cylinder toa level above the lower end of the short leg of the siphon, it will beapparent that the excess quantity can-be withdrawn from the observationchamber by simply manipulating valve handle 30 to close communicationbetween pipes 25 and 28 and open communication between pipes 28 and 29.Immediately the pressure is removed, the gasolene in the long leg of thesip-hon flows downward into tank 24, and establishes a siphonic actionfrom cylinder 2, which action itcontinues until the siphon is broken bythe level of the gasolene in the lcylinder falling below the bottom ofthe short leg of the siphon. In the event that the excessof gasolenereturned to the4 tank 24 is so great that said tank will not hold it,thegasolene will back up through pipe 28 and the valve 26, and then flowthrough pipe 29 into the main or supply tank 20.

From the above descriptlon it will be apfor lling stations whichembodies all of the `features pointed out as desirable, and while I havedescribed and claimed the preferred embodiment ofthe invention it is tobe measured quantity of gasolene, a siphon for conducting gasolene fromthe supply tank to the elevated tank and for withdrawing all gasolenefrom the last-named above the level of the short leg of the siphon, andvalve controlled means for admitting air pressure for effecting a How ofgasolene through said siphon into said elevatedftank or for cutting offsuch pressure to permit the .siphon to w1thdraw gasolene from the elevated tank in the event the short leg of the slpllon is sealed bygasolene in said elevated tan 3. A gasolene tower comprising a mainsupply tank, an auxiliary supply tank at a lower level than the mainsupply tank and connected to be supplied by the latter, a

tank standing' check valve on the supply line between said tanks andadapted to open toward the auxiliary tank only, an elevated tank, and asiphon communicating at the lower. end of its longer leg with theauxiliary supply tank and at the lower end of the short leg with saidelevated tank, a pipe for supplying air under pressure, a pair' of pipesconnected respectively with the said supply tanks, and a Avalvecontrolling said last-named pipes and said air supply pipe and adaptedto establish communication between the air supply pipe and thelast-named pipe connected to the auxiliary supply tank, or to cut oilthe air supply pipe and establish communication between the other pairof pipes.`

4. A gasolene tower comprising an elevated tank, a Siphon comprising astationary portion connected to a gasolene supply and. .an upper orslidable portion communicating with said tank, and means for adjustingthe slidable portion to change the level of the lower end of the shortleg ofu the Siphon, within said tank. Y

5.,.A gasolene tower comprising an elevated tank, a siphon comprislngastationary portion 'connected to a gasolene supply and an upper orslidable portion communicating with said tank, means for adjusting theslidable portion to change the level of the lower end of the short legof the Siphon, I

within said tank, and means for securing lthe slidable portion of theSiphon at the desired point of adjustment.

6. A gasolene tower comprising a tank, a Siphon comprising a stationaryportion eX- tending upwardly beyond the tank, and a slidable portionfitting the stationary p0rtion telescopically and also extending downint-o the said tank, a slide rod having a handle, and a 4bracketprovided with a vertical slot through which4 said handle projects andwith a series of shoulders at one side portion, tion with its lower endat the desired elevation within said tank, a register, a suitably guidedoat within the tank to be arrested in its upward movement by the shortleg of the Siphon, and means transmit power from said float to saidreglster.

In testimony whereof I ailix my slgnature.

ALVAI-I M. GRIFFIN.

-ing short of the lower end of the stationary means for securing theslidable por-

